Many were skeptical when Manchester United signed Edinson Cavani on a free in the 11th hour of the summer transfer window. However, the 34-year-old Uruguayan has truly brought the goods this season, providing United exactly what they need in the final third.
He’s red hot right now, scoring six goals in his last seven games and on the season he’s provided eight scoring strikes in 11 Premier League starts. It looked as if he was going to be one-and-done at Old Trafford, but now an extension could be imminent.
Manchester United at Aston Villa FYIs
Kickoff: 2:05 GMT Sunday May 9, Villa Park
Team News and Starting XI Prediction: go here
Odds: Aston Villa (+340) Manchester United (-134), Draw (+275)
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hinted that the centre forward has already reached an agreement on staying put.
“We don’t have a time limit [on a decision], but the more goals he scores, the better we become as a team, the bigger the chance is that he’ll want to have this feeling again,” Solskjaer said ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture at Aston Villa tomorrow.
“Let’s talk after Sunday again hopefully. Maybe it’s changed, maybe he’s decided, maybe.”
All in all, Cavani has been extremely productive, scoring 14 times in 18 appearances across all competitions. No doubt he would be a tremendous asset next season as well, so hopefully the two sides can take the agreement that appears to be in place and finalize, and then announce it before too long.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.